The Runaways
by thesocialnetwork
Summary: Luke and Nico. Rejects, outcasts on the run and both in love with their best friend: Thalia Grace before they made it to Camp Halfblood. So who did she choose in the end? Review and let me know who you think it should be.


_**Author's note: I wasn't really happy with where this story was going so I changed it a bit. Please leave feedback on what you think so far. I've had major writer's block recently so I'm going to see how many reviews this story gets before I continue. Happy reading and thank you for all my avid readers who leave a kind review every time I update. I could not have done this without your encouragement. **_

"That's the worst idea I've ever heard." My best friend Luke Castellan said, when I asked him if he would ever run away with me. He pushed a lock of unruly bronze hair out of the way and turned to glare at me with those intensifying ice-blue eyes.

"I'm serious about this, Luke," I snapped, averting my eyes from his challenging gaze.

I couldn't believe I was stupid enough to think, even for a second, that Luke might have said yes or at least had some nerve to pretend it was a reasonable idea.

Luke continued to glare at me and I could feel the other kids start to look our way. I was used to people staring at me and Luke was used to girls clamouring for a better look at his handsome face and chiselled stomach muscles. We were outcasts that way and I had no idea how we had both been invited to Tammi and Kelli's beachside condo for her infamous party she held at the end of every semester. She probably only invited me so Luke could come. Typical. Oh well, we only came because we were starving. I refused to set foot inside my house if my mom was there and the only thing Luke's mom could bake was rock-hard cookies.

"You're crazy, Thalia. You know that? Crazy and reckless."

"So I've heard," I muttered, kicking at a red plastic cup half-buried in the sand.

Of course it was a stupid idea to ask Luke. He had it all going on for him. He didn't have a past to run away from and unlike me, he could actually be proud of his family in more ways than one. Luke had a mother who loved him and even though she wasn't quite right in the head sometimes, she cared and loved Luke more than anything. _My_ little brother Jason had disappeared. The mother I knew was now an inanimate alcoholic. Being the survivor sure did suck and I couldn't take this any longer.

I started to walk away, refusing to cry.

Gods, I never felt more humiliated in front of Luke in my life. Luke was the one person I could be myself around and tell almost anything to. I was so selfish to even ask Luke. He had a mentally unstable mother to look after and it wasn't fair of me to do something like that. Luke and I had been best friends since elementary school. We annoyed the Hades out of each other at first, and we still do, but we had one important thing in common and that was the fact that we were both seriously messed up kids with equally messed up families. We knew each other better than ourselves and always looked out for the other. Because of that, I knew that if I actually _did _run away, Luke would come with me too. And he knew that I would do the same.

"I'm going to get another drink," I lied, picking up my pace.

I was a good liar but Luke knew me too well.

"No, you're not. Thalia, come back. I'm sorry, okay? Let's talk this through."

"Thalia!" Luke yelled behind me. "Oh gods, Thalia. I'm sorry, come back!"

I pretended not to hear.

"Please, I know you can hear me. Thalia, c'mon!" he pleaded.

I began to run and then sprint.

I was fast and Luke was strong. He wouldn't be able to catch up with me for a while.

Suddenly the thought hit me and I almost stopped for a second.

For the first time in my life I was going to be alone. Without Luke by my side.

I pushed through a posse of seventh grade cheerleaders, still in uniform, who had been watching us - I mean, _Luke_ - the whole time. Kelli was one of them and she snickered when she saw me.

"Have this." She pushed a plastic cup filled with some kind of apple juice coloured punch in my face.

"Um, maybe later," I mumbled, absently pushing it aside.

"Seriously, it's full of healthy minerals that will -"

"I, uh, don't feel too good," I said, motioning to my stomach.

I tried to step around her but she was blocking the entrance to the door in a flash.

"It will help you feel better," Tammi insisted, holding another cup of the same stuff in my face.

"I really don't -"

"Just try it!" Kelli screamed.

Something inside of me snapped.

"Later," I glowered, whacking the cup out of her hand. It spilt all over Tammi and it began to… burn?

"You are _so _dead to me," Tammi hissed as the liquid began to burn up the fabric of her cheerleading costume revealing a prosthetic leg.

"Ohmigods, I am so sorry-"

"Don't just stand there!" Tammi screeched at Kelli. "_Do something!"_

Then I realized something.

Tammi and Kelli weren't exactly humans.

Yeah, okay. They were cheerleaders which technically doesn't count as human anyway but there something more to their eerily red, almost flaming hair and blindingly white teeth.

Kelli hissed and began to take steps towards me, baring her… fangs?

"Vampires?" I blurted.

"_Empousa, _you brainless halfblood," Kelli scowled. "We're not pathetic supermodels that sparkle in the sun. Don't you dare insult us like that!"

"Where do you think those pesky movie franchises got the idea from?" Tammi added, pulling an elastic out of her hair. She had red flames for hair.

And I was dead meat. Literally.

I grabbed a fistful of sand and hurled it at Kelli's face.

She sank to her knees, clutching her face and howling.

For the first time in my life I was grateful for ADHD. My reflexes kicked in and I took the opportunity to run.

I managed to stagger a few steps forward when Tammi grabbed hold of my leg and I stumbled forward, landing on my face hard.

"Don't touch her!"

It was Luke. I recognized his voice right away even though I couldn't see him. Tammi was clawing away at my face and I was a little too preoccupied to look. I had battled monsters before. But never without any weapon. I was on the beach with only useless sand to throw.

"I'll deal with the handsome one," I heard Kelli say. She sounded happy.

Tammi scowled and I struggled under her vice-like grip.

One of her long-nailed hands forced my mouth open and the other held a red cup filled with apple juice coloured liquid. _Ambrosia. _

I realized why they had been so insistent on feeding me ambrosia now. They had to prove to whoever sent them that I was a demigod.

"What did I tell you, Kelli?" Tammi sounded triumphant.

And now Tammi was going to force feed me the stuff until I burned up and disintegrated. I felt my body temperature fly up like an instant high fever.

I forced myself to stay calm and bit down on her fingers. Hard.

Tammi screamed in pain. She snarled at me with burning hatred, baring her fangs.

"Thalia!" Luke cried out with a mixture of anguish, fear, hatred and hurt in his voice. "Please don't hurt her!" he cried, his voice breaking.

I turned just in time to lock eyes with him one last time before Tammi's fangs closed in around my neck. Pain exploded through my neck and coursed through my blood as she began to, ew, suck. I could feel the life draining out of me.

"Luke, I'm sorry. I -" I tried to say through the pain. My vision began to cloud and I could feel myself begin to hallucinate. I wanted to tell him that I was the one who should be begging for forgiveness, that I was the selfish one who had gotten us into the mess and that I was so sorry for everything and anything. I wanted to tell him how I truly felt about him all these years. He was my best friend, my mentor and my…

"Luke, I -" I tried again but my words began to slur.

I felt so dizzy and suddenly, so very tired and sleepy. My eyes closed after much strain and I began to drift and fade away.

"Thalia! Thalia!" I heard Luke screaming. _Thalia, I love you._

Whether the last part was real or not, I never got to find out.


End file.
